Hitching device.



' Q :EMED MAY 14, 196i Y D, 1?. ses?.

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HITCHING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1907.

Application filed Mey 2l; 19136. Seriai No. 318,09?.

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Bo it known that I. Devin I. Gow, a citi zen of the United States, and a resident of De Soto, county ol' Jellerson, and State of Mieeouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hitchin.;y Devices7 of which the hiliowing is a Specilication.

My invention relates to hitching devices, and has for its principal objects to produce a simple and effective mechanism embodying a minimum number of parte, which can be cheaply manufactured and readilyf applied to vehicles to prevent the animale drawing the same from running' away; and to attain certain other advantages hereinafter more fully appearing.

The invention consists in the parte and in the arrangeineiite` and combinations of parte hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying dran-'inge which forni part ci this specification, and wherein like Symbole refer to like parte Wherever they occur, Figure 1 is a plan view ol a vehicle with the wheels removed from one side and a portion of the bed broken away to Vmore clearly show the manner oi appiring niv irnproved hitching device; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the operating shaft and the parte carried thereby, portions being Shown 1n section; Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. i; Fig. 4 ie a detail view of the ratchetcintch, on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 5 and, Fig. 5 is a detail view of a bracket-boerin The device ie intended for attac nnent to vehicles of any character, preferably to the rear or fixed axle thereof. Bracket-bearinge 1 are adjustably secured `opon the rear axle 2. In these bearings is slidingly mount ed a sectional operating shaft comprising a tubular section .3 and a solid section 3a. The tubular section carries a pinion 4 at one end. The pinion is formed with a stud or shank portion 5 which ie forced into the bore of the tubular ehelt section and secured by a pin 6. In certain positions of the Shaft, this pinion 4 will mesh with a ,fear Wheel 7 Secured to the hub ol one of' the rear wheels 8. The end portione ci the teeth at the adjacent faces of the pinion l and `gear wheel 7 are beveled or sharpened es at 9 to facilitate the intermeehing.r of the pinion and gear wheel. i

The operating shaft is yieldindivY heldin normal poeition longitudinally in its bearings by a spring 10 and is ada ted to be moved longitudinally by moans o a bell crank lever 11 mounted on the axle 2. One end of this Ytion 3a.

bell crank lever engagea a Agrooved collar 12 iixcdlv mounted on the Shaft section 3. The other end of the bell crank lever is ivotally secured to e. rod 13 connecting with a lever 14 mounted upon a bracket 15 beneath the bed of the vehicle. The lever 14. is similar to an ordi nary brake lever and, preferably. is of the foot-operated type, as shown. A toothed Sector 16 is adapted to be engaged by the lever 34 and hold it in .its operative positions.

The end portion of the tubular section of the shaft 3 opposite to the pinion 4 is secured in the threaded hub 17 of a casing 1S, and also receives the reduced end portion 19 of the Section 3 and forms a bearing therefor. In the casing 18 is mounted a spring-pressed Vpavvl 2G which is adapted to engage a ratchet wheel 2 ixedly mounted on the shaft see- 'lhe casing I8 is provided. with a cover plate 22 and thus the ratchet wheel 21 le completely incaeed 5 hence. beth Shaft sections 3 and 3 will partici )ate in the iongitudinai movement im arte hyV the hell crank Vl'rnf'cr. The paw and ratchet connection, however, permits each section to be mdependentlv rotated in one direction.

Upon the shaft section 3a is a drum 23 provided With peripheral flanges. A strap 24 is secured at one end to said drum 23, and at its other end ie provided With a. Snap-hook 25 adapted? to engage ringe 26 or other securing devices on the lines 27. Preferably, the strap 24 ie divided at a suitable point in its length, and ite'ee'cticne are connected by an interposed spring 28. Y

The free end of the strap 24 may be made to terminateat anj,T convenient point Within reach of the driver. It is preferable1 hown over; to carry the strap under an anti-frietion roller 129, thence upward through an opening in the bottom ol the bed and through a retaining yoke on the inside of the front end of the bed, and thence over and beyond said front end as shown in the drawings.

In operation, when it is desired to hitch the horse, the )inion 4 is moved into mesh with the gear W eel 7. This is accomplished by sliding; the operating shaft by means of the lever i4 and intermediate connections. The snep-hook 25 is then fastened in the ringe 2e on the lines 27. Shonid the horse start forward after the lines have been connected to the snap-hook, the forward rnovef nient et the vehicle will impart a rotary movement to the shalt Section 3 through the intermeshing gear Wheel 7 and pinion 4. Shaft IOO section 3 transmits its moven'ient to section 3 by means olI the pawl and ratchet. The strap .2-'1 is thus wound upon the drum 2? and thereby draws the lilies 27 tight. Il', however, the horse should back, the drum will not be rotated, as the pawl 2() will simply slip over the teeth on the ratchet wheel 2l. The spring' 2S is used to lessen the shock upon the horse`s mouth, ill he should hinge l'orward. Y

Obviously, my device is capable ol' considerable modification within the scope ol my invention, and tliierei'orey I do not Wish to be limited to the specific construction shown and described.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hitehinlhr device, a rotatable and longitudinally movable sectional shaft comprisinzgr a tubular main section and a seeondary section having a bearing)r in one end ol said tubular section, a pawl and ratchet connection between said main and secondary shaft sections, whereby said sections are caused to move longitudinally and to'rotate in one direction simultaneonsly7 and whereby one ot sa`id sections is free to rotate independently in the other direction, a drum on said secondary shalt section, a hitehing' strap secured to said drum and adapted to be wound thereon, said strap being' divided and joined by a spring, and having a eonnecting device at its free end, a pinion on said main shaft section adapted to engage a. rear wheel on a vehicle wheel, and means for moving* said pinion into mesh with said ge ar wheel.

2. In a bitching device, a rotatable and longitudinally movable sectional shaft coinprising a tubular main section and an independently rotatable auxiliary section having a bearing in one end of'said main section, a pawl and ratchet connection between said sections comprising a ratchet Wheel secured on. said auxiliary section, and a easing secured on said main section inclosing said ratchet wheel and having' a pawl mounted theriin and adapted to engage said ratchet wheel, a drum on said auxiliaifvY section. a bitching strap secured to said drum and adapted to be wound thereon, a pinion on said main section, a gear wheel mounted on a vehicle wheel in cooperative relation to said pinion, and means lor moving' said shalt longitudinally to move the pinion into mesh with said gear wheel.

S. A hiteliing device comprising,r a gear wheel mounted on a vehicle Wheel, a rotatable and longitudinally movable shal't mounted in bearings on a fixed portion oll said vehicle, said shalt comprisin,r a tubular main section and an independently rotatable auxiliary section having,r a bearing in one end ol' said main section, a pawl and ratchet eonnection between said sections comprisingT a ratchet wheel on said auxiliary section and a easingr on said main section inciosinrr said ratchet Wheel and having a pawl mounted therein in engagement with said ratchet wheel, a drum on said auxiliary section, a hit-ching strap secured to said drum and adapted to be Wound thereon, a pinion on said main section in eoiiperi'ttive relation to said gear wheel, means for yieldine'ly holdingr said shaft in normal longitudinal position, means for moving;V said shalt loi'igitudinally to move said pinion and gear wheel into mesh, and means for holding said moving means in its operative position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence ot two subscribing witnesses this 15th day ot May, 190,6, at St. Louis, Missouri.

DAVID I). (IOFF. 

